July Reads
Get your Summer Reads right here - all the books, news, & Substack posts I devoured this month.
It’s hot. So hot. And I continue to hide inside, save for a few outdoor events (Dave Matthews Band last month, visiting the Atlanta area to meet Pandas and Penguins, etc.), reading my ass off.
I’ve blown my yearly goal out of the water (I broke 50 this month!!!) and I just keep going. I can’t believe I’m been averaging around seven books per month! Please, keep those recommendations coming. This month was no different than previous months… I read a lot. We’re stacked to the ceiling with the books I had hit my Libby shelf this month — I couldn’t even touch my physical stash! Maybe it’s time to limit my holds… but probably not. Let’s be real!!
Additionally, I’m including some other goodies (and hope to continue doing this going forward). I’m reading more than books, so I figure I might as well share those recs with you too! From articles I save for later on Apple News to Substack posts I’m digging, I’ll pop those in after the monthly book selection.
I hope your summer is going well. Tell me what you’re reading and let me know if there’s something I simply must add to my TBR. Let’s get this going, shall we?
FICTION
MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, by Riley Sager
Another good story by Sager. I have yet to find one I don’t enjoy. This one takes place on the cul-du-sac of Ethan, who finds himself living in the house he grew up in when his parents retire to Orlando. It’s also the scene of a crime that took place about thirty years ago, when his best friend and neighbor Billy went missing. Ethan is plagued by insomnia and a bad recurring dream about the night Billy was taken, but he still can’t manage to remember any important details about who took Billy or why. Mysterious things begin happening on the cul-du-sac and when Ethan discovers the truth about what happened to his friend, lives are changed forever. This was a breezy read and just when I thought I knew what was up, I was delightfully surprised by the reveal. Just goes to show ya — never miss a Sager story!
THE MIDNIGHT FEAST, by Lucy Foley
I hate to say this, but Foley is hit or miss for me. I really have enjoyed some of her other work, but I struggled to stay engaged with this one. The story was good, though. We’re following a whimsical woman, Francesca, who opens a luxury hotel experience in southern England, on the grounds she inherits from her grandparents. The others we are following: her husband, Owen (a renowned architect); a guest, Bella; and a young employee, Eddie. The past catches up with Francesca and many secrets are uncovered in the events leading up to the midnight feast at the anticipated Summer Solstice event. I’ll be real: I did have the desire to know what happened, which is the only reason I finished it. I really wanted to like it. The writing was fine, the story was fine — but it was billed as a Midsommar + cult vibes + Fyre Fest all wrapped up in one. Unfortunately, I didn’t really get that from it outside glaring, very obvious similarities of those things. Still a decent mystery, if you’re into that sort of read.
THE NEXT MRS. PARRISH, by Liv Constantine
I never miss a Liv Constantine story, and this is a sequel to one I really enjoyed last year (The Last Mrs. Parrish). We’re back to follow Amber and Daphne as Jackson’s released from his federal prison stint. Amber is ready to rid herself of Jackson, despite everything she did to land him… and Jackson wants Daphne back anyway, so they agree to work together to help each other toward their end goals. But of course, in most stories like this, not everything is as it seems. Most of these people are horrible. It was a satisfying follow up to the prequel story and I could not put it down. Highly recommend, but make sure you read the previous book first because it lays a lot of ground work!
TWO SIDES TO EVERY MURDER, by Danielle Valentine
I normally stay away from YA books but given this plot piqued my interest, I went for it. It was a quick read, shorter than the thrillers I normally devour, so it felt like a little treat. This story follows Olivia, a teenager who was born during (literally) the Camp Lost Lake murders. We also follow Reagan, whose mother has been in hiding since being accused of the murders seventeen years prior. Twists and turns, and a delightful surprise ending kept me turning the pages. Very well written, too. If you’re into YA thrillers, you’ll love this. If you’re not into YA but into thrillers, you will probably still enjoy it!
THE PARIS NOVEL, by Ruth Reichl
Taking a break from thrillers, this new fiction novel by an author known for her nonfiction and work in the food space was a delight. Richly descriptive and well-written, it made me want to visit Paris in the 1980s. But since I can’t do that, I’ll have to settle for living vicariously through Stella, whose mother passes and leaves her with a one-way ticket to Paris to have herself an adventure (which is something she’s not very good at). The people she meets and the food she eats along the way kept me turning the pages. This was a lovely way to round out the month and I’m glad I was able to snag it on Libby this quickly, given it was published in April.
NONFICTION
I SHOULDN’T BE TELLING YOU THIS, by Chelsea Devantez
I didn’t know much of anything about Chelsea Devantez and truth be told, I was drawn to check this out on the Libby app because of the cover. Now, I’m a fan! This was a vulnerable, funny, wonderful memoir and typical of most memoirs, read by the author herself. I do hate that she had to redact some big pieces of the “big scary DV incident” (what she calls her experience) but I understand why. Going further, I found out she made a dress of her old journals to get the story out. Creativity finds a way! I highly recommend this read to anyone who is into solid comedic timing and great writing.
MIDNIGHT IN CHERNOBYL, by Adam Higginbotham
Back on my history BS! I picked this audiobook up because I’m forever fascinated by the story of what happened in Chernobyl in the mid-1980s, and this did not disappoint. Clocking in at fourteen hours (!!), it was engaging the entire way through. The author walks us through the disaster, weaving in details that are lesser known about the facility, the people who worked there, and the massive attempt to cover up what really happened that April night in 1986. Incredibly researched, Higginbotham has written what is considered a “definitive account” of the world’s biggest nuclear disaster. This was, without a doubt, one of the best historical nonfiction books I’ve read in a long time.
THE ART THIEF, by Michael Finkle
I first heard about Stéphane Breitwieser on an episode of My Favorite Murder that aired back in the spring. When I discovered this audiobook was available on Libby, I immediately checked it out. You can hardly believe this is a work of nonfiction as you listen to the story of Breitwieser’s relationship with his girlfriend and their several art heists — yes, several heists: it’s reported that he had stolen over 200 artifacts during his thievery. He never stole art for money or notoriety though, but for the thrill and because he had such adoration for the high-end pieces he acquired, albeit illegally. They were trophies to him and this was absolutely an addiction. This is a breezy six-hour listen that art and history buffs alike will enjoy!
12,000-year-old ritual passed down 500 generations may be world’s oldest [CNN]
Beneath the Waves: Sunken Cities of the Ancient World [National Geographic]
Scalpers Work With Hackers to Liberate Ticketmaster's ‘Non-Transferable’ Tickets [404 Media]
A New Archaeological Discovery Has Ripped Up the Map of Human Migration [Popular Mechanics]
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All the (non-affiliate) links for the books reviewed go to Bookshop.org, a wonderful site where you can purchase your books and support your local independent bookstore(s). 📚